, Happy Birthday! Born February 16th; 1904-1948 (2)

By C. S. Williams on Feb 16, 2014 From Classic Film Aficionados

accepting his Honorary Oscar from Ingrid Bergman An overlooked actor, whose best work has not been seen in the United States (excepting on VHS and DVD imports) since 1986. I of course am speaking of the still controversial Song of the South, 1946, a Walt Disney live action-animated fe... Read full article

, Happy Birthday! Born February 16th; 1904-1948

By C. S. Williams on Feb 16, 2014 From Classic Film Aficionados

accepting his Honorary Oscar from Ingrid Bergman An overlooked actor, whose best work has not been seen in the United States (excepting on VHS and DVD imports) since 1986. I of course am speaking of the still controversial Song of the South, 1946, a Walt Disney live action-animated ... Read full article

, Happy Birthday! Born February 16th; 1904-1948

By C. S. Williams on Feb 16, 2014 From Classic Film Aficionados

accepting his Honorary Oscar from Ingrid Bergman An overlooked actor, whose best work has not been seen in the United States (excepting on VHS and DVD imports) since 1986. I of course am speaking of the still controversial Song of the South, 1946, a Walt Disney live action-animated ... Read full article

[Brer Rabbit has gotten himself entangled in the messy tar that was the Tar Baby, and Brer Fox and Brer Bear dance around him victoriously]
Uncle Remus:
[narrating] Well, sir, you ain't never seen nobody that had humble-come-tumbledness down as fine as what Brer Rabbit had it then. Poor little critter, he learned a powerful lesson. But he learned it too late. But it just goes to show what comes of mixin' up with somethin' you got no business with in the first place. And don't you never forget it.

Uncle Remus:
Miss Sally, Johnny didn't mean no harm. He was just tryin' to be like Brer Rabbit.

Sally:
Uncle Remus, I'm trying my best to bring up Johnny to be obedient and truthful. But you and your stories are making that very difficult. I think maybe it would be better if he didn't hear any more for a while.
Uncle Remus:
Well, Miss Sally, the stories ain't done no...
Sally:
They only confuse him. Now, I know you mean well, Uncle Remus, but Johnny's too young.
Uncle Remus:
Miss Sally...
Sally:
I'll have to ask you not to tell him any more.
Uncle Remus:
Yes, 'm...

His portrayal of Uncle Remus in "Song of the South" was the crowning achievement of his career, for which he won an honorary Academy Award. Ironically, his performance cannot be seen in its entirety in the United States, as the Walt Disney Co. will not release the entire film on the home video market because of the controversial nature of the film, which was denounced as racist by the NAACP when it was premiered in 1946. A further irony is that the NAACP now has no public stance on the film.

He did not attend the premiere of "Song of the South" in Atlanta because as an African American he would not have been allowed to participate in any of the festivities in that racially segregated city.

The first actor to win an Academy Award (although an honorary one) for his performance in a Walt Disney film.